Behr's 2026 Color Of The Year Is The Trendsetting Neutral Everyone Will Want

If you're ready to say goodbye to dreary greige of yesteryear, get ready to fall in love with Behr's 2026 Color of the Year (COTY): Hidden Gem N430-6A. Described as a "smoky jade," this moody green-gray strikes the perfect balance between statement shade and modern neutral, shining in both traditional and contemporary spaces. While we usually think of neutrals as beige, grey, or off-white, Hidden Gem proves that color can be calming too. It's soft complexity makes it easy to live with — perfect for an accent piece like a vintage nightstand, yet bold enough to elevate an entire room when used as a color-drenched statement.

One key part of 2025 has been the emphasis on the value of creating characterful, colorful spaces, and Behr's choice of Hidden Gem as its COTY is a clear indicator that this trend is likely to continue into 2026. In a press release from the company, Erika Woelfel, vice president of color and creative services at Behr says, "Now more than ever, there's a growing appetite for colors that challenge convention and bring an unexpected sense of wonder to everyday spaces," adding, "Hidden Gem captures that spirit in both name and color — its depth and refinement meets the desire for colors that are eternally stunning and stylish." Ready to work this shade into your own home? Whether you're painting a whole room or just adding a subtle pop, Hidden Gem offers endless ways to make an impact.

One thing you are sure to see going strong in the upcoming year is the color drenching paint trend, which involves using a single paint color all over a room, from the walls to cabinets, fireplaces, and even cabinets and bookcases. Hidden Gem would be a strong choice for overall impact, as the shade offers a little edge and mystery, as well as calm, serene vibes as an updated earth tone. If you're not ready to try this in a main room, consider using it in a powder room or walk-in closet. 

Though it stuns as the dominant color in any room, it still makes a statement as an accent. For instance, try using Hidden Gem to highlight any architectural details in your home, whether it be a mantel, book niche, or crown molding, to draw the eye and elevate the space. You can also swipe this shadowy green-blue on furniture and accent items across the interior design style spectrum, pairing just as effortlessly with clean-lined modern furnishings as it does with classic, traditional silhouettes.

Don't forget the importance of natural lighting and choosing the right paint finish for a shade like Hidden Gem either. Behr recommends using a flat finish little to no sheen for interior walls with, but satin for furniture, doors, and baseboards. As a hybrid of blue, green, and grey, you'll also find that lighting significantly impacts how the color reads, with brighter warm light highlighting the sage green shades, and more diffused, ambient lighting bringing out the cloudy blue tones. 

Even if you've totally fallen in love with Hidden Gem, you probably need to consider what other colors it pairs well with, whether you're looking for an accent or need to make sure it plays nicely with your furniture. Luckily, there aren't many colors that won't work with it, which is clear in Behr's full 2026 Color Trends Palette. This palette is filled with shades across the color wheel, from rusty pinks to Tuscan yellows, and wine-stained reds to muted grays, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a bad combo. On Behr's website, you can even explore interactive room views to test different palette combinations and choose a color scheme with confidence and ease. 

To play Hidden Gem up as a balanced neutral, consider pairing it with warm earthy tones like Rodeo Tan N240-5 and Baronial Brown N170-7 – toasty browns that enhance its natural depth. Cooler neutrals will bring out the grey tones of the color, potentially losing some of the pigmented pop of the original shade. You can also go for something more funky and nontraditional by opting for Beehive M270-5, a muted mustard yellow, or Rumors MQ1-15, a heritage burgundy-red. We also see a lot of potential for Hidden Gem as a tone-on-tone choice with other blues like Dragonfly PPU12-03. With an endlessly versatile palette to choose from, Hidden Gem makes it easy to create a space that's uniquely yours and effortlessly elevated.